Housing for automotive lamps, particularly those that are used to accessorize automobiles, such as fog lamps, comprises a bowl within which the lamp reflector is housed and a means for retaining and sealing the lens of the lamp within the housing. In certain such housings the retaining means comprises a circumscribing clip which may be separate from the bowl of the housing or form an integral part thereof, which is adjustable by a wrench or screwdriver. In an effort to obviate the use of tools the metal bowl of a further housing was enveloped an elastomeric material which projected forwardly of the rim of the bowl to form a cowl. The cowl was provided with a locating groove on the inwardyl facing surface thereof into which the lens of a sealed beam unit could be snap fitted for retention. Since the cowl was relatively unsupported it was heavy and was required to be of relatively low elastomeric resilience in order to withstand wind forces, whereby it did not provide a good weather proof seal around the lens. Moreover, neither type of housing provided a good shock mount for the lens. Owing to the exposed portion of many accessory lamps it is often found necessary to resort to providing a shock resistant mount for the light unit as a whole.
A further problem exists in providing a wire entry to the interior of the bowl. In previous housings the bowl has been provided with a small opening into which a grommet is secured and through which the wiring passes, but this does not form a weather proof seal.
It is an object of this invention to provide automotive lamp housings or the like with an improved seal for the lens.
It is another object of the invention to provide automotive lamp housings or the like with improved shock absorbing capability.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide automotive lamp housings or the like with an improved wire entry.
It is a further object of the invention to make lamp housings of significantly reduced weight and manufacturing cost.